View full sizeOHLSarnia forward Nail Yakupov is expected to be the top pick in the NHL draft.

SAGINAW — More than a few world-class forwards have come through the OHL Western Conference over the last four years, from London’s John Tavares to Windsor’s Taylor Hall. Both went No. 1 overall in the NHL draft, in 2009 and 2010, respectively.

That’s what makes this statement about current Sarnia Sting forward Nail Yakupov all the more striking.

“He’s definitely one of the most skilled guys I’ve ever played against,” Brad Walch, the Saginaw Spirit’s fourth-year defenseman, said. “Compared to Taylor Hall and Tavares, he’s probably better than both those guys I’d say.”

Putting a player above Hall and Tavares, who have both gone on to productive early NHL careers, is no small statement. But Walch is far from alone in calling Yakupov perhaps of the most skilled forward to come through the OHL in recent memory.

Yakupov is the early favorite to become to overall pick in the 2012 NHL draft. In the vein of “Suck for Luck”, the campaign by fans of losing NFL teams to land presumptive top overall pick Andrew Luck, fans of floundering NHL teams have started to wonder if it’s worth it to “Fail for Nail.”

The 18-year-old Russian forward was named OHL Rookie of the Year last year, after recording 101 points on 49 goals and 52 assists. He’s currently second in the league in with 38 points, on 13 goals and 25 assists.

“He’s probably the best player in the league,” Spirit coach and General Manager Todd Watson said. “He’s (darn) good.”

The Spirit will see Yakupov plenty this weekend, as they take on the Sting on back-to-back nights Friday and Saturday. The Spirit travel to Sarnia at 7 p.m . Friday and return for a 7:11 p.m. home game against the Sting on Saturday.

After the Sting missed the playoffs for the last two years, they have gone from last to first in the West Division this season, at 13-3-1-3, and are ranked No. 5 in the 60-team CHL.

To ask the Spirit defensemen, who have played against Yakupov as much as any group, trying to slow down the Russian forward is no easy task.

“It’s really hard,” Spirit captain Ryan O’Connor said. “You never know what he’s going to do. He’s so skilled and so fast that you almost have to let him skate, give him some room and then try to take the body on him. One slip up and it’ll cost you, he’ll score a goal.”

In seven career games against the Spirit, Yakupov has seven goals and eight assists. When the Spirit visited Sarnia Oct. 14, Yakupov didn’t score, but recorded four assists, demonstrating his ability to find teammates and win games with his playmaking.

“He knows that guys are going to try to get the puck off of him and not let him get on the puck,” O’Connor said. “There’s going to be a lot more focus on him so he’s using that to his advantage.”

Yet while other teams have overhauled strategies when facing Yakupov, the Spirit are trusting their defensive system and personnel to contain the league’s top player.

“We try to keep to our regular D zone coverage, and not try to focus on him too much,” O’Connor said. “We know there’s more guys than just him on the ice. Leave that open guy and he’ll find him and make us pay for it.”